mcgilmartin's 2013 Mentor Group~ let's get swimming! CLOSED FOR TRAINING (Page 2)

Hi Me!  Sounds like Robin wants you in~ so welcome to our group!!!  You'll get great motivation, encouragement, and training advice from this group.  Let's accomplish some goals!

Kellie, Phyre Cyclone is his screen name.... I haven't seen him online in while.  I'll PM him for you though.  Looking forward to training with you!

Yes, pick an "A" race you want to define your season and register ASAP.  Nothing will bring you motivation like a ticking clock :D

Robin, Marine Corps is on the bucket list.  So is NYC, LA, Boston, and now the Naperville Marathon (where I live we're actually having a 5000 entry marathon this year!).  Are you doing MC again this year?  I am currently planning my race calendar, and registrations will no doubt sell out for everything.

I'm on the fence about Chicago this year.  It was an amazing experience, but I want to try some other courses out.

Robin, Marine Corps is on the bucket list.  So is NYC, LA, Boston, and now the Naperville Marathon (where I live we're actually having a 5000 entry marathon this year!).  Are you doing MC again this year?  I am currently planning my race calendar, and registrations will no doubt sell out for everything.

I'm on the fence about Chicago this year.  It was an amazing experience, but I want to try some other courses out.

Hey All,

One of the things I wanted to do with this group this year is get you all a weekly Swim, Bike, and Run workout weekly.  I'll start today with a swim set everyone should be able to accomplish.  Please post questions if you don't understand what some of the drills are (it might seem foreign at first):

WARM UP SET:
6 x 50's

Odds swim

Evens rotation drill

4 x 100's

Increase effort on each 100

MAIN SET
MAIN SET:
100 smooth swim

200 kick

100 smooth swim

300 kick

Take :30 rest between each swim

COACH TIP:
Use a board for the 200 & 300 kick...remember, it doesn't matter how fast you go on this set, 
what is important is that you try to complete it without stopping.

WARM DOWN
WARM DOWN SET:
1 x 200 backstroke or breaststroke

This is REALLY helpful, Matt---thanks!  Could you please explain what we should be doing for the "rotation drill" and the "smooth swim"?  Gonna give this workout a try in Puerto Rico!  My son and I are heading there for a few days before he returns to school next Monday.  He was studying Puerto Rico in his 4th grade Spanish class this semester so it seemed like the perfect warm destination!

Matt---I'm definitely going to do MCM again---three more and I'll be in the MCM Club (which guarantees entry for life).  My husband's response when I told him about that---"so what"?   He was underwhelmed with the Marathon Maniac distinction as well.   As much as I loved Chicago, I agree with you---there are others I'd like to do before repeating this one.  My sister lives in London so I'm really thinking that the London Marathon in Spring 2014 will be my next "destination marathon".  MCM is a really good charity marathon since it's the "People's Marathon"---i.e. no prize money which shifts the focus from the elites.  Highly recommend!  The course is similar to Chicago---just a little bit hillier.

WARM UP SET:
6 x 50's

Odds swim

Evens rotation drill

4 x 100's

Increase effort on each 100

MAIN SET
MAIN SET:
100 smooth swim

200 kick

100 smooth swim

300 kick

Take :30 rest between each swim

COACH TIP:
Use a board for the 200 & 300 kick...remember, it doesn't matter how fast you go on this set, 
what is important is that you try to complete it without stopping.

WARM DOWN
WARM DOWN SET:
1 x 200 backstroke or breaststroke

Glad you asked!  Rotation drill is a key drill in swimming.  What you'll want to do is put a pull buoy between your knees.  Concentrate on "rolling" your torso from side to side on each swim stroke.  You want to ideally get to 45 degrees of rotation in your upper body during your freestyle pull.

Smooth swim means concentrate on your form and a smooth stroke, as opposed to going fast!  Don't worry about your time, just envision a "perfect" swim stroke and try to achieve that.  I do this drill often, and I find it really helps me correct problems with my form that inevitably creep up.

This couple is amazing.  They're trying to run 365 marathons in 365 days.  Think a Marathon Maniac is tough?

http://www.cnn.com/video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29#/video/world/2013/01/01/pkg-davies-australia-marathon.network-ten

Swimlass40 - 2013-01-02 11:28 AM Hi new here. Not sure if it's ok to join this group as I'm in Scotland. Keen swimmer, walker and badminton player. Want to do open water swimming + a triathlon

Hi there!  We'd love to have you!!!  What's your name?

Sure, can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?  Are you looking at any particular race distance, or just some motivation to decide?

Matt

All,

Here's rule #1 when setting up your goals.

http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/How-to-Set-SMART-Goals.htm

If you don't subscribe to Active via Facebook or e-mail, I would highly recommend you start.  They have so much great information every month and almost everything they publish is worth reading.

Matt

Cool, welcome aboard!!! You have a lot on your hands with a 3 1/2 year old and a newborn, huh?  You'll like this group, all of us have young kids too.

What races are you looking at this year?

Still open?

I'm 45 and spend far too much time working at the computer.  I'm out of shape but probably only about 10 lb overweight.  I've never done a tri.  I used to run 5Ks and 10Ks frequently but haven't for 10 yrs or so.  Never really biked either, only off-road mountain biking once in a while.  BT got me swimming laps for the first time a year and a half ago but I quit that due to an injury and laziness.

Your group appeals to me since I am a new swimmer.  You also appear to have a good number of experienced members that might be open to the occasional dumb question.

I'm kind of targeting a June tri nearby (Plano, TX) because I want to ramp up slowly to avoid injury.  What I really need is a group that offers frequent discussions so my interest in the whole thing doesn't wane when the going gets tough (and cold).

I may sound kind of dry but I'm really excited about this year and participating in a Mentor group.

Thanks!

Bryan

Bryan, welcome aboard!  We're excited to have you!!!

NAME: Max

STORY: single 28 years old working professional living in Singapore. I played football till I went off to university. Enjoyed the student life but almost completely dropped sports except for the occasional gym session or run. Started working and sedentary life was getting to me. Got into cycling three years ago. I moved to Singapore in November 2011 for work. Cycling was put on hold and I focused on running instead.Triahtlons as the next step were on the back of my mind all year. For running the major goal was to finish the NYC marathon in 3h50. I trained diligently 4 times / week and felt I was ready for it. Unfortunately it got cancelled. The whole experience tanked my motivation and I took a full month off from sports after. At the start of December I took my first swimming lesson. I am still struggling very much in the water but confident that I'll get the hang of it at some point. That some point needs to be before the end of February, otherwise I'll run the risk of drowning in my first aquathlon :-)

CURRENT TRAINING: I roughly work from 8am till 7pm, no lunch break. Bike and run workouts I do before work. Swimming after since the nearest pool only opens at 8.30am.

Monday: Off
Tuesday: Short run/Short swim
Wednesday: Short bike/Medium swim
Thursday: Off
Friday: Long swim
Saturday: Long run
Sunday: Long bike

2013 RACES

Registered
02/24 - Metasprint Aquathlon 750m swim/5k run
03/24 - Metasprint Duathlon 3k run/18k bike/3k run
04/21 - Metasprint Triathlon 750m/20k/5k
05/19 - Bintan Olympic Triathlon 1.5k/40k/10k

Tentative
08/11 - HIM Wiesbaden
11/04 - HIM Taiwan

Weightloss: Weighing 84kg for 6'0 with a body fat percentage of 15%. Down from 91kg/+20% at the end of August through training and healthy eating. Weight loss stalled after the cancelled marathon but I am determined to lower my body fat percentage to single digits.

Let's get this show on the road!